Business Chinese Test (BCT)

To meet Chinese language learners’ need for a business Chinese test,the Confucius Institute Headquarters (Hanban) commissioned the International Business Chinese Language Teaching and Resource Development Base, University of International Business and Economics to organize Chinese and overseas experts on business Chinese language teaching, linguistics, psychology and educational measurement to revise the Business Chinese Test (BCT) which has existed since 2006 on the basis of the latest research results on international language testing and business Chinese from recent years.

The new BCT, as an international,standardized test of Chinese language proficiency, focuses on assessing non-native Chinese speakers’ abilities to use the Chinese language in real business or common working environments and evaluating the language tasks they are able to complete. It aims to provide references for companies to recruit and select employees, for schools and training institutions to organize teaching activities, and for learners to evaluate themselves.

The BCT, as a test series, consists of three independent tests: BCT (A), BCT (B) and the BCT Speaking Test. The BCT (A), which is oriented towards beginners, is designed to examine test takers’ ability to communicate in Chinese in daily life and during basic business activities. The BCT (B),which is oriented towards intermediate and advanced learners, is designed to examine test takers’ ability to communicate in Chinese during complex business activities. The BCT Speaking Test, which is oriented towards learners of all levels, adopts the form of a computer-based test as well as personalized and targeted questions to examine test takers’ ability to complete various communicative tasks by using spoken Chinese.

The BCT has the following characteristics: first, it focuses on the practical use of Chinese when conducting business activities. The test, following the principle of practicality, oriented towards speaking and listening, and emphasizing abilities in the workplace, aims to recreate actual situations in the workplace. Second, it has set the Standards for Business Chinese Language Competence and advocates a combination of teaching and examination as a method of improving Chinese language skills. The Standards for Business Chinese Language Competence, which is based on large-scale surveys and data analyses and aligned with the BCT Outlines, provides a basis for a refined assessment of competence and systematic teaching activities. Third, it includes business culture as a part of the test so as to improve learners’ intercultural communicative competence.